Wood Buffalo seniors encouraged to be active, stay healthy

FORT McMURRAY — Seniors living in Fort McMurray and the surrounding Wood Buffalo region are invited to start the new year with a healthy approach to staying active — and Alberta Health Services (AHS) has programs to help them achieve this goal.

The Walk On program, offered throughout AHS North Zone, operates out of MacDonald Island Park and will also expand to Anzac this month. Participating seniors walk on the track based on their individual abilities. Each walk includes a complimentary coffee and social time afterwards.
 
All walking speeds are welcome; any form of physical activity is beneficial and has been shown to play a huge role in preventing cancer and heart disease as well as in managing or preventing diabetes. Seniors build muscle strength and flexibility which reduces the odds of falling or injury.

In partnership with Suncor Community Leisure Centre through MacDonald Island Park, St. Aidan’s Society and the Golden Years Society, AHS is able to offer the program for free. AHS also partnered with Nexen Anzac Recreation Centre to launch the program in Anzac. Both programs are offered at no charge for seniors 55 and over.

• Fort McMurray’s Walk On the Island Program runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. on the running track at MacDonald Island Park (1 C.A. Knight Way). Free bus transportation is available through the Golden Years Society. Call 780-743-4088 to register for a ride.
• Anzac’s Walk On the ARC Program runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. at the Anzac Recreation Centre (237 Stony Mountain Road).

AHS is also a partner in the drop-in carpet bowling program that started up last October. It’s offered at MacDonald Island Park every Monday at 2:30 p.m. Seniors 55 and over are encouraged to attend.

No registration is needed for any of the programs. For more information about Walk On, please call 780-714-5637. For information about carpet bowling, please contact St. Aidan’s Society at 780-743-4370 ext.1.

Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.